
The original Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookie, as featured in the NYTimes .
This recipe first appeared in my Vanilla Bean Baking Book, and was the inspiration for the ENTIRE CHAPTER of pan-banging cookie recipes in my 100 Cookies cookbook!
Originally I thought to include a different chocolate chip cookie recipe in this book. It was my go-to cookie, one I had made for years at Bordertown Coffee. I began working on a thin and crispy version, and along the way it evolved into this recipe.
The cookie falls somewhere in the middle of gooey and crispy, with edges that shatter in your mouth and a center that is soft and full of chocolate. My family loved it so much that my original recipe hasn’t seen the light of day since. Meet our new house cookie.
TROUBLESHOOTING
1. What are pan-banging cookies?
Bakers tapping their cookie pans in the oven isn’t new, of course, but the pan-banging technique I use here is unique in that the pan is tapped in the oven every few minutes, creating ripples on the edge of the cookie. This creates two textures in the cookie: a crisp outer edge, and a soft, gooey center.
2. Why won’t my cookies ripple/wrinkle? I’ve found that flour can often be the culprit, and it seems that high-protein flour won’t allow for as much spreading and wrinkling. I use Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose Flour in my cookies, and find that works best.
3. Why are my cookie bottoms greasy? I prefer to think of the cookies as “exceptionally buttery”. There is extra butter in these cookies, which helps them spread, and crisp on the bottom. I remove my cookies from the pan when they are cool enough to handle, and let them continue cooling on a wire rack, which helps them stay crispy.
4. Can I use less sugar? The granulated sugar helps with spreading and also helps with crisping. If you decrease the sugar, you won’t have the same type of cookie. If you do want to play around with decreasing amounts, start with 2 or 3 tablespoons, and continue to decrease each time you make them until you find your sweet spot (pun intended).
5. Can I switch out some of the granulated sugar for brown sugar? You can, but your cookie won’t be as crispy – it will end up with a chewy texture.

6. Why should I use aluminum foil? I find that aluminum foil helps the cookies spread a bit more and creates a slightly crisper bottom. But parchment paper will work well, too.
7. Can I refrigerate pan-banging cookie dough?
Cookie dough can be refrigerated overnight before using. Shape the dough into balls and cover with plastic wrap before chilling, and then bring it to room temperature before baking (when the cookies are chilled solid, they won’t ripple as well). Cookies that spend a night in the fridge will also have a more developed flavor, but also have a bumpier finish.
8. Can I use European butter? Yes! But note that using European butter will make the bottom of these cookies even more buttery.
9. Can I add more ingredients to the dough (nuts, other chips, m&ms, etc)? Yes, but note a few things: too many add-ins (chocolate, toffee, nuts, etc.) will prevent the dough from spreading as it should.
10. Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate? Yes, but note that chopped chocolate spreads much better than chocolate chips.
11. Can I use alternative flours (i.e. almond, oat, buckwheat, etc)? You can’t swap out all equal parts all-purpose flour for an alternative flour. If you would like to substitute some alternative flour for the all-purpose, start with 1/4 cup (about 50 grams) and slowly increase each time you make it, until you find your perfect ratio.
12. Can I make these gluten-free or vegan? Yes, my friend Amanda has used my recipe to create Gluten-Free Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies! I haven’t played around with a vegan recipe, but I have seen many people on Instagram successfully do so (sorry, I know that isn’t helpful). If you do make it successfully either way, comment below on what worked for you!
13. What ingredients are best for making pan-banging cookies?
I use Land O’Lakes unsalted butter and Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, almost exclusively. I use a variety of grocery store brand granulated sugar, brown sugar, large eggs, and pure vanilla extract. For chocolate I use a mix of brands: Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet baking bars and Trader Joe’s bittersweet baking bars are great grocery store brands. Valrhona feves (I like Caraibe) and Guittard baking wafers are wonderful higher-end options. I use a mix of all of them.

14. Why are my cookies burning on the bottom? Make sure your batter is completely combined – doing a final few stirs with a spatula will help make sure everything is evenly combined and mixed. Having a medium-weight baking sheet makes for even baking (I use these from Nordic Ware). Sometimes your oven temperature can be the culprit – using an oven thermometer each time you bake will help you make sure it is correct.
15. How do I get my chocolate to pool on top? Place a piece of chopped chocolate directly on top of each cookie dough ball before going into the oven (Vahlrona feves work well for this) will make a nice pool as they bake.
16. What kind of baking sheet should I use? I use a medium-weight half sheet pan (12 by 16 in [ 30.5 cm by 40.5 cm]). I find heavier-insulated baking sheets don’t ripple as well.
17. What if I can’t fit my baking sheet in my freezer? It’s okay! You can put the dough balls on a small plate and freeze them, then transfer them to the baking sheet when you are ready to bake.
18. Will this technique work with other cookie recipes? Not necessarily, and not in the same way. Cookies that are made to be thick and gooey won’t ripple when tapped in the oven, although doing so may help to set the edges.
19. Do I have to bang the pan outside the oven? No, you don’t! As stated in the recipe, I lift the side of the baking sheet up about 4 in [10 cm] and gently let it drop down against the oven rack, so the edges of the cookies set and the inside falls back down.
20. Do you have more pan-banging cookie recipes in your 100 Cookies cookbook? Yes, I have a whole chapter dedicated them! Purchase my book, 100 Cookies. (affiliate link)
More Pan-Banging Cookie Recipes:
- Pan-banging Sugar Cookies
- Pan-Banging Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Pan-Banging Espresso Cookies with Chocolate

Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups 284 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ pound 2 sticks; 227 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups 297 g granulated sugar
- ¼ cup 50 g packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water
- 6 ounces 170 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped into bite-size pieces averaging ½ inch with some smaller and some larger
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with aluminum foil, dull side up.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and water and mix on low to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Add the chocolate and mix on low into the batter.
- Form the dough into 3½-ounce (100g) balls (a heaping 1/3 cup each). Place 4 balls an equal distance apart on a prepared pan and transfer to the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. After you put the first baking sheet in the oven, put the second one in the freezer.
- Place the chilled baking sheet in the oven and bake 10 minutes, until the cookies are puffed slightly in the center. Lift the side of the baking sheet up about 4 inches and gently let it drop down against the oven rack, so the edges of the cookies set and the inside falls back down (this will feel wrong, but trust me). After the cookies puff up again in 2 minutes, repeat lifting and dropping the pan. Repeat a few more times to create ridges around the edge of the cookie. Bake 16 to 18 minutes total, until the cookies have spread out and the edges are golden brown but the centers are much lighter and not fully cooked.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely before removing the cookies from the pan.
162 Comments
Shazeen Tejani
Friday, April 29, 2022 at 9:55 pmI don’t know what to say about these cookies. I almost hate them a little…. But only because I’ve made SO many batches due to their insane popularity among my family and friends. Don’t get me wrong.. one batch is easy peasy. But when people are so obsessed with them and you have to make 3 batches at time, it truly is a labour of love. But I promise there isn’t a recipe out there more worth it than this one. I’ve thrown out every other chocolate chunk cookie recipe I’ve ever used and wholly commit to only making these ones going forward. Pro tip for anyone who has made this a trillion times and needs to shake it up: replace the chocolate chunks with chunks of Skor candy bar. It’s a bit sweeter, but when the toffee cools and hardens.. it’s a dream come true.
Thank you so so much for this AMAZING recipe!
Linda
Saturday, April 9, 2022 at 9:11 pmFollowed recipe to a T and these came out delicious. Used King Arthur flour ave Kerrygold butter. Had to slam a little harder than a nice drop, but it worked perfectly!
Sheryl
Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 7:15 pm@Sarah
Question: I use King Arthur Flour which weighs 240g for two cups. Was this recipe tested by weight or volume? I’m just not sure if I should use the number of grams stated in the recipe or the two cups (240g). Thank you!
Sarah Kieffer
Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 9:49 amhello! use the gram measurement in the recipe, not what KA flour suggests. i measure differently than their site, and this recipe was tested by weight.
Sheryl
Friday, March 18, 2022 at 8:36 pmThank you!!
lola
Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 2:56 pmRefrain from asking about types of foil or can I use/ add this or that? Simply read the recipe and either make them as written or move on and make your own decisions.
Sue
Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 12:19 pmThe cookies taste fantastic and it’s a fun process too! Mine were way to big so next time I will not do a heaping 1/3 cup size because they spread too much and didn’t keep the round shape. They still tasted delicious!
Elizabeth Felix
Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 4:44 pmPan banging brings me joy! I must have been one of those toddlers who loves to take out all the pots in the cupboard and make some fun noises. Pleasing to my ears, not so much for others yet they don’t complain while eating these cookies, worth the noise I am sure. I am not the biggest chocolate chip cookie fan. I prefer the shortbread variety, these have changed me, thats all I can say. I followed recipe with the exception of type of flour and chocolate. I have King Arthur all purpose on hand for most of my baking. I used a combination of Ghirardelli (4 oz) semisweet bar and Hu Simple Dark (70%) chocolate bar since that was what was in my pantry. Worked great, will experiment with some finer chocolate next time and there will be many more next times to come!
Julia Harrison
Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 9:05 amLife changing best Chocolate chip cookies in the history of the world. I am not exaggerating. And it’s fun!
Monica
Monday, January 17, 2022 at 6:52 pmThey came out beautiful and the texture is great! Soft in the middle and crispy on the edge, and delicious pools of melted chocolate chunks. The flavor is good, though I found that I miss the the brown sugar flavor that I love in many other chocolate chip cookies, the sweetness had less complexity in these. Can’t wait to try other recipes!
Holly
Thursday, December 30, 2021 at 6:07 pmMy life has been changed.
Chris
Sunday, December 26, 2021 at 5:52 amReally enjoyed the cookies, but mine were done a lot faster, do you use convection with your oven when baking cookies or not ?
Sarah Kieffer
Sunday, December 26, 2021 at 12:33 pmHi! I use a regular oven, not convection. It sounds like your oven runs hot. I would purchase and inexpensive oven thermometer and see what it reads at.
Culinary Therapy Chic
Sunday, December 19, 2021 at 2:36 pmCan I use brown butter with this recipe?
tessa
Sunday, December 19, 2021 at 7:54 amThese are the only cookies my family requests … thanks for the awesome recipe. We add 1 cup mixed raw walnuts and pecans to a good result 🙂
Kellyhenry
Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 4:34 amI love to eat cookies. Everyone I know loves to eat cookies. But I love cookies even more when they’re homemade. But, there is no need to settle for those dry, soggy, oh-so-bland pre-packaged cookies anymore!
Kristen Pringle
Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 1:49 amThese cookies are banging! (Sorry couldn’t help it!) in all seriousness these are some of the best chocolate chip cookies. They came out perfectly and were delish. I did use 1 cup white sugar and 3/4 c brown sugar after reading some comments that cookies were very sweet. Interesting to note, i baked two batches exactly as directed then left the final batch in the freezer, baked them a few hours later and those cookies flattened out and didn’t have the ridges on the edge.
Katherine
Friday, December 3, 2021 at 7:23 pmEasily my go to cookie that wows everyone I bake them for. I make a batch and always have some in my freezer to whip up!
Mariana
Monday, November 22, 2021 at 11:16 pmI bought the book 100 cookies! And I just made the pan banging rocky road cookies, which I loved! I was wondering how to double de the recipe, my biggest question is if I should double the butter, since it would be almost 5 butter sticks!
Regards!
Jackie K.
Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 1:31 pmMade these today with gluten free flour (King Arthor Measure for Measure) and for 1/2 of the sugar I used monkfruit sugar, and used no-sugar chocolate (for personal dietary needs). They were fabulous! Great crinkling and tasty 🙂 Thank you!
La'Shonda
Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 3:21 pmCan I use a refular pan to bake them as my cookie sheet is to large to fit in my freezer for that step. 10/12/21
Shazeen Tejani
Friday, April 29, 2022 at 9:57 pmI just roll up the balls and put them in a small loaf pan! Then just take them out and place them on the cookie sheet before baking
Rose T
Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 8:31 pmMade this cookie today,… looks great, a little too crispy when it’s warm. I wonder if it’s super crunchy when it’s cooled. I used Toll House Dark morsels. Any suggestions on how I can soften so it’s chewy slightly?
Moni
Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 8:54 amI have made these cookies now I don’t know how many times, and every time they’re just SO delicious! If friends and family know I’m coming with some baked goodies, they always request these. Thanks for sharing this recipe and writing the recipe so well – they turn out every time.
Suzy
Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 9:52 pmI followed the recipe exactly and not one of mine came out even close to round. I am an experienced baker. Ideas?
Liz
Thursday, September 16, 2021 at 7:01 amSwirl them inside a larger ring once out of the oven.
What does baking experience have to do with round cookies? Use a disher and they will be round.
MM
Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 7:03 pmcan these be completely frozen, then baked another day?
Susan Whitfield
Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at 11:40 amLook awesome! Can’t wait to try!!
Susan Whitfield
Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at 11:41 amCan they be made smaller
Susan Schulte
Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at 3:53 pmI’m tempted to sell these lol! Delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe
Christina
Monday, August 9, 2021 at 12:36 pmCan you add oatmeal to this recipe?
Cookie monster
Friday, July 23, 2021 at 1:48 pmThere is so much butter in the recipe, you have to wash your hands after holding a cookie! Otherwise very tasty
sandra garcia
Monday, July 5, 2021 at 10:09 pmDelicious! I add a sprinkle of maldon salt right out of the oven for that extra touch.
Sydney McCaskey
Friday, June 25, 2021 at 5:55 pmgross! aluminum foil made it taste/ bake weird. horrible cookie it was gross to me.
Kelly
Monday, August 23, 2021 at 10:35 pmQuestion: Did you use Reynold’s Wrap? Or a different brand? Serious question.
Chanel
Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 12:27 pmShe’s crazy, these are the best. I alter it slightly but even so these cookies are always a hit.
Eliana
Friday, June 4, 2021 at 9:33 amTruly a crowd-pleasing cookie…crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside is a winning combo for any cookie lover! Incredible when served with vanilla ice cream too:) Thank you for such a great recipe, Sarah!
Alanna
Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 9:30 pmvery good 🙂 i love them
Lori
Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 12:27 pmThese are truly the best cookies! The perfect balance of crispness, chocolate and the sprinkle of salt on top. Everyone’s favorite and fun to make.